


A Crimson Moon

by HowAreYouGoodPerson



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Light Choose Your Own Adventure, Monsters, Multiple Endings, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Possession, Possessive Behavior, Reader Insert, That should be it but please tell if I missed something!!, Vampires, Werewolves, Yandere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:34:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27297229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HowAreYouGoodPerson/pseuds/HowAreYouGoodPerson
Summary: After buying a new book, your day is ruined in a way you couldn't possibly have imagined... (Happpy Halloween!! *Hands you some Alchemy candies!
Relationships: Dire Crowley/Reader, Divus Crewel/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 23





	1. A New Story

**Author's Note:**

> This story's a bit different than my usual works, so heads up! To proceed with the story, make sure to read the Notes at the bottom of each chapter, then follow it's directions by proceeding to the proper chapter from the Chapter Index! 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice day out is quickly cut short by coworkers...

It was just supposed to be a quick trip into town, just for some paper clips…

… Then I realized that this was the first time in two weeks I’d gotten to go to town because of a certain HEADMASTER’S lack of planning ahead, leaving me to do all his work (that might I add, I was NOT qualified for,) and you know what? I at least deserved to stay for a coffee, if not more.

Especially since I already had the paperclips, so I couldn’t be nagged at for not doing my job~

I turned away from the normal path back to the college, prancing along the lively main street and dipping in and out of stores… The thick and savory scent of popcorn and other yummy delicacies easily filled my soul… A struggle to ignore said soul, prying myself away from the food court I’d wandered into, soon being surrounded by stalls filled to the brim with assorted knick knacks and accessories, some of which seemed… Unsafe…

Before I knew it, I’d stumbled into a small corner store, finding nothing but shelves and books, old and new alike, blurring my vision…

… And unsurprisingly, books were floating about as well, one such tome almost bumping into my face.

“Hello there! How may I help you today?” Hearing the old clerk call out for me, I quickly composed myself.

“Ah, I’m just looking! … I didn’t know there was a bookstore in this part of town!” A chuckle left them, the elder taking a sip of their tea… Which was also floating, much to my unsurprise. (Is that a proper word? It is now.)

“Yes, it’s quite a shock to many, even those who’ve lived here for quite some time… It’s a very cramped part of town, after all. We may not be as fancy as the store near the marketplace, but we still have quite a collection ourselves! Feel free to browse, or simply sit back, and brew yourself a drink, if you’d like!” Saying that, they gestured to a small kitchenette tucked in a corner, many teacups of increasingly interesting designs and types stacked precariously next to boxes of tea and coffee.

“... You know what? I think I will, thank you very much!” With a smile, they went back to the book they were at… (Though apparently became bored with it, plucking the bookmark from inside their top hat and tossing it to the side.)

Once I’d brewed my cup, ([Flavor] tea/coffee! I’m surprised they had it!) I took a seat in a secluded corner of the shop, melting into the old sofa cushions and pulling out my phone, unsurprisingly seeing multiple messages…

\-----------

‘Ignore Until Payraise: Oh [Name]~ It’s been quite some time, and while I like to think of myself as a patient man, I really do need those paperclips sooner than later~’

‘[Name]~ Please respond to my message as soon as possible! I can’t leave my office until I’ve clipped together these documents… Though I am a hardworking man, even I need my precious breaks…’

‘Mx. [Name] I am begging you to return to the academy at once!!! Your beloved, kind crow is in agony!!! They have tomato soup in the cafeteria, yet I cannot leave!!! Please hurry!!!’

‘Read at 2:27 P.M.’

‘Ignore Until Payraise: I SAW THAT MX. [NAME].’

\-----------

I simply took a smug sip of my drink, before checking my other messages.

\-----------

‘Closet Furry: Puppy, I heard you’ll be in town around two. If you’re still there around three, I’ll need help around Main Street. Understood?’

‘[First, Last Name]: What if I say no? 👀’

‘Closet Furry: Then I’ll assume you’re saying it to someone else, since it’s not a request, it’s an order. Since you have such a bark too, I’ll assume you’ll have enough energy to carry some ingredients back to campus for me.’

‘[First, Last Name]: 😔’

‘Closet Furry: Don’t be so sad now~ Do a good job, and I may just reward you with a treat~ Now don’t be late.’

\-----------

All I could do was sigh, knowing my peace and quiet was limited… And suddenly I got another message.

\-----------

‘Trien: [Last Name], please return to the academy. I can hear the Headmaster wailing from here, and it’s disrupting Lucious’ meal.’

\-----------

… Well. Either way, it looks like I'd have to make a decision… But not until I finished my drink! … And perhaps a chapter of a book. The moment I stood to examine the shelves, I overheard what sounded like two housewives gossiping. 

“Margaret, did you hear about that new book that just came out last week?”

“Of course, that romance once, right? I hear it’s been popular with a lot of folks lately!”

“It’s romance?! I thought it was horror!”

“Was it…? We’re talking about the same book, right? ‘The Crimson Moon?”

“Yeah! That’s the one! … Is it?”

The two confused women fumbled away, and though I knew it was rude to eavesdrop… I was a bit interested in finding this book. Luckily, I was already in the romance section! (... Or was it actually in the horror section…)

Well, to make myself look better, we’ll say I found it within a few minutes or so. (Definitely didn’t give up from confusion and ask the Shopkeep. SHH.) Flipping the small book over, I found the summary, reading it quietly to myself.

“Rosalie Brushmire, ready to spend the day chatting away with neighbors and friends, finds themselves instead in a nightmare they couldn’t possibly have imagined… Due to some strange curse, the residents of their small town have suddenly been turning into monsters, left and right, all of which seem to want nothing more than to convert them into one of their own…

Worst of all, they find themselves conflicted, being targeted specifically by their crush, the kind-hearted Byron Blackheart, and their childhood friend, the devious Redd Reynolds, who’ve also turned, and want nothing more than to make them their own… Will Rosalie succumb to their twisted temptation? Or will they manage to find a cure for the town before it’s too late…’

… This sounded… INCREDIBLY cheesy. The mere plot, the love triangle… Even the “before it’s too late” reminded me of quite the many stories…

It sounded perfect.

I quickly took a seat again, popping open to the first chapter…

\-----------

I couldn’t get enough, no wouldn’t get enough…

It wasn’t until my phone blared, the ringtone making me wince as I turned the ringer off, only to see his contact name…

… And the time. It was 3:15.

“... Aaaaaaaaaaah!!! I’m late, I'm late!!! I’m gonna get in so much trouble!!!” I downed the remainder of my drink, ready to toss the book away yet… “... Oh, just a few more minutes couldn’t hurt!” 

Well, I could only hope it didn’t, handing the shopkeep the money before dashing out.

“OOF!”

“HEY! WATCH IT!”

“SORRY!!!” The merchant rolled his eyes before continuing, a stray slip falling from his cart. “Oh, wait sir!!! You dropped some… Thing…”

… He was gone. I looked around, yet found no sigh of him, leaving me stuck with the strange object. It seemed to be a paper bookmark with a bright, holographic rose, in the design of stained glass... But it didn’t look to be anything too valuable… 

“... Oh, I don’t have time for this!!!”

Cramming the bookmark into my bag, I dashed towards Main Street, knowing that was the quickest way to get to my destination…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please choose one and Proceed.
> 
> [You go help Divus- Chapter Two]
> 
> [You go help Dire- Chapter Three]


	2. Errand Pup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You hightail it out of the bookshop to meet Divus...

“I’M HERE!!!”

“Fifteen minutes late.”

He didn’t even turn back as I fell to the ground, exhaustion seeping into every part of my body.

“B-but I came… Give me credit for that, at least…”

“I don’t give the puppies credit just for arriving to class, much less late. What makes you so special?”

“I… I ditched Dire’s texts to help you… But if you’re gonna be rude… I’ll just go back to campus...” At that, he let out a smug grin, finally turning to look down at me.

“You did, hm? Well… I guess I can cut some slack… Don’t get used to it, now.” Well, that was better than nothing, I guess. It took every ounce of strength in my body, yet I managed to flop onto a nearby couch, looking back at the man.

“So… What did you… Need…?” It was now I got a look around the shop, finding bolts of fabrics and buckets of buttons strewn about.

“I need a pack mule! And you’re the lucky puppy who gets that honor~”

“Wait wha-OOMF!” The furs plopped into my arms felt like lead in my current state, threatening to spill from my grip. “I-I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABOUT INGREDIENTS!!!”

“Hmm? Of course not. You should know by now they deliver ingredients to the academy. You misunderstanding my little joke’s on you, pup.” I fumed, knowing he was right, but also hating his smirk as he disappeared into the halls of furs, praying he wouldn’t choose any more… (I don’t think my arms could take it.)

… Well. I was going to be here a while, might as well get some reading in!

The furs were placed on the next cushions, and I grabbed back the book, flipping back to the last chapter I’d left on. As if magic, I was quickly engrossed back into the story, more and more desperate to know just what would happen to Rosalie and Byron. He’d succumbed to the darkness despite all their efforts, yet despite the danger they found themselves in, they still couldn’t help but worry for the man… Even if he was far from the best person...

I glanced up at Divus, who was cooing over some albino Chesire fur.

… Tragically, I related to Rosalie…

Deciding to dwell on my choice of men later, I continued reading, worried for Rosalie now that they’d contracted the vampire’s curse Byron held… If they didn’t find the cure soon, then they’d surely be d-

“Puppy! Come!”

… Son of a bitch…

“Coming!!!” The book was tucked into my coat pocket as I dashed towards Crewel, finding him deep in the store alongside the shopkeep.

“Yes sir?!”

“Feel.” A sample of fur was dropped into my hands, and I complied.

“... It’s REALLY soft… But it also feels a bit cheap, if that makes sense. See, even now some of the fur’s shedding.” He took my hand to inspect it, indeed finding it to be true. (I had to calm my heart from how intense he gazed at it,) and the bolt was tossed to the side.

“Unacceptable. Find another.” The shopkeep must’ve been used to his demands, and simply left with a laugh of resignation. (I felt a bit bad for them...) 

Just then, I realized the two of us were completely alone...

“... So… You making a new coat?”

“Curious little pup, aren’t you… Well, the answer’s yes.”

“.. Nice, nice…” … It was quiet again, Divus still sifting through fabric linings and such… “... Well, if you need me, I’ll just… Be sitting over here in the corner…” He grunted in affirmation, so I took a seat in a nearby chair, taking back out my book… 

“... So why did you ditch Dire? Far less work than helping Master out…” … Of course he waited until I was ready to read again. I held back a sigh as I used the bookmark this time, oblivious to it’s faint glow...

“Oh, just… You were already here, and… I dunno, I just felt like it. Is that a crime?”

“No, no… I just find it a bit curious. Then again, everything about you is curious…” The shopkeep finally returned, another bolt of fabric in hand. Divus took it, bringing it back over to me…

Having him hovering over me in this tiny corner was… Making my heart do things…

“Feel.” I complied, taking the soft fabric between my hands.

“It’s super soft… Just like your current coat. I think this one’s a good choice.” He smiled, turning away to toss it back to the shopkeep.

“You already know how many yards. Now fetch!” And then the shopkeep was gone again, leaving the both of us alone…

“... Ah… Crewel… I can’t leave with you trapping me like this…”

“Really now… What if that’s the point?” Suddenly, ice-cold fingertips tapped along my cheek, before sweeping my hair from my face…

… And then he was gone, bastardous grin and all.

“We should return to the academy. We’ve already been here for quite some time… However, I still promised you a treat, even if you DID misbehave a bit… So lunch is on me, puppy.”

… W… Was… Was he really rewarding me??? I…

“... S-sure! … I mean, if you insist! Aha…” … Smooth, [Name]. Smooth. I tried to hide my excitement jumping from the rickety chair.

“Ouch!!” My elbow bumped against a nearby shelf, Divus quickly rushing over and taking it in his hands.

“Puppy, be careful! … Looks alright…” Suddenly, a loud crack pierced the room, my eyes wandering up and watching in dread as a plank of wood barely missed me…

… Yet the many jars of buttons and fasteners didn’t seem to intend the same…

“LOOK OUT!!!” Suddenly, darkness overcame my vision…

… All I could hear was a few pained grunts, and soon light came to me again, finding Divus had covered me from the avalanche.

“... O… Oh my god!!! Divus, are you alright?!” Now it was my turn to inspect him, yanking off his coat (followed by a shrill shriek) to make sure nothing sharp had gotten through the thick furs to him.

“B-BAD PUPPY!!! DON’T JUST TAKE MY COAT WITHOUT WARNING!!! … But yes, I’m alright. My coat took most of the impact…” It was now the shopkeep had wandered back, Divus immediately turning his attention to the poor man, and just from the look on his face alone, I could tell he was ready to tear the poor clerk apart… I needed to deescalate the situation. 

… But before I could, there was a sharp pain along my head, accompanied by the shattering of glass and clatter of lost buttons...

“[NAME]!!!”

… It all went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please proceed to Chapter Four.


	3. Flight and Frenzy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignoring your exhausted legs, you managed to make it back to NRC...

“I’M HERE!!! AND I HAVE SOUP!!!”

I winced, realizing I’d slammed the container of tomato soup FAR too aggressively, but asides from that it seemed fine, Dire snapping awake from atop his desk.

“O-OH MY!!! … Mx. [Name], you shouldn’t have~ … BUT ALSO WHY WERE YOU GONE FOR SO LONG?! DO YOU REALIZE HOW HUNGRY AND LONELY YOUR KIND-HEARTED BOSS W-”

“I HAVE SANDWICHES TOO.” And thus a to-go bag was slammed next to the soup, the thick scent of cheese permeating the air.

“... Well, I suppose it wasn’t THAT long that I couldn’t overlook it this once… Ah, what about the paperclips?” Those too were slammed upon the desk, his shoulders slumping in relief. “Thank heavens…” 

Clawed fingers ripped open the tape, plucking a single clip from the package and slipping it on a nearby stack of papers. With a smile, it was tossed in a file cabinet. (... I would’ve respected his dedication to his task if it wasn’t the ONLY task he’d done today… Putting off the rest because “he was feeling under the weather…”) He’d just begun to unravel the to-go bag when he’d paused.

“... Hm… On second thought… It’s been quite a while since I’ve enjoyed some fresh air! Mx. [Name]! How about joining me in the courtyard for some lunch?” I pondered it… And thought about it… Because I didn’t actually have food of my own, and planned to stop by the cafeteria after this… But he was giving me an overly intense look… That was making me feel guilty by the moment instead… 

“......... Sure, if only for a little bit!”

“Wonderful~ Now, there’s not a moment to wait, lest my soup grows cold! And away~~~”

“Wait Dire wait wAIT WAIT!!!”

It was too late. I was grabbed by the elbow and found myself tossed out the nearest window, only the wind witness to my screams...

(Yes, he can fly, but I HAVE ANXIETY.)

\----------

“Ahh~ Nothing’s better than a nice, warm bowl of tomato soup on a chilly day such as this~” 

“G… Glad you’re happy, Headmaster…” He took another sip, humming in delight all the while, as I simply shivered, the sudden bite of Autumn chill, coupled with the prior experience leaving me shaken… I couldn’t even enjoy the simple sound of wind rustling against the trees, since a group of students were playing Magilift across the courtyard… (Very loudly, and with that special type of petty argument you can only have with close friends.)

Of course he was too enamoured with his soup to notice, so I decided to cope by reading instead, since not even a bright, shimmering Madol itself could pry him away now… Slipping the book from my bag, I flipped back to the page the bookmark was left in, quickly finding the last sentence I left on.

Oh… Redd was REALLY jeopardizing the relationship between him and Rosalie, wasn’t he… Even if he was partially influenced by the Moon’s Curse, so shamelessly lying to Rosalie about his current state… Could they ever hope to trust him again?! Even once they freed him of the curse, such a traumatic experience they were forced through would surely remain in their thoughts for weeks, at the very least! And what about when h-

“Oh? What’s this???” And the book was gone, plucked away by a metal claw.

“HEY!!! GIVE THAT BACK!!!”

“Now now~ I’m simply curious on what my favorite teaching assistant would be reading on a day like this~” BITCH I’M THE ONLY TEACHING ASSISTANT HERE, THAT MEANS NOTHING!!!

“... Aha ha… GIVE ME THE BOOK!!!”

“Whoops~” The book was tossed into his other hand, expertly flipping to the page the glimmering bookmark laid within… Oh god, no… No no no… I couldn’t let him read… He’d get distracted and we’d NEVER get back to the office!!!

“STOP ABUSING YOUR AUTHORITY YOU CROOKED OLD CROW!!!”

“Oh my Mx. [Name]... I never took you as the type for romance! I guess life is full of many surprises, after all~” I wonder how everyone felt about Kentucky fried-crow tomorrow night.

“SHUT UP!!!” Realizing that manners would get me nowhere at this point, I climbed atop the picnic table, crawling over to try and snatch the book away, while he simply leaned further away, halfheartedly shoving me away…

… Oh no… He was getting too invested… If I didn’t cut this off now, I wouldn’t be getting that book back…!

“Give it… Here…! AHA!” I managed to snatch it from his hands, but it came at a great cost… I could only scream as I lost balance, the two of us toppling down and screaming...

(… Yeah, it was only a few feet, but still! At the moment it felt like 17! (And his reaction wasn’t helping either…)

Luckily, everything seemed fine! … Except that I was laying on top of him, the thick scent of citrus and flowers easily distinguishable from so close… As well as the faint tinge of red barely peeking from his askew mask…

“... I-I’m so sorry Headmaster!!!” I’d never jumped off a man so fast, quickly straightening my clothes before lending the old crow a hand. He muttered quietly under his breath (what is was, I couldn’t tell,) yet took my hand, soon smacking the dirt from his own slacks.

“A-ah… It’s no problem at all, Mx. [Name]...! (Though… Quite bold, I must say…)” In the confusion, I noticed the book, abandoned at the ground, and quickly shoved it into my bag as he turned away to fix his mask.

… Well, that was one problem solved… But at what cost…

“HEY!!! WATCH OUT!!!”

“Huh? ...!!!” Before I could react, the stray Magilift disc was gone from view as quickly as it came…

Along with everything else.

“... Mx. [Name]!!! … Oh, hopefully we aren’t liable for this…!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please proceed to Chapter Four.


	4. A Fearsome Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up, only to learn something's happened...

“... Uughngh…” I rolled over on the small bed, reluctantly opening my eyes…

… I was in the school’s infirmary…

My entire body begged otherwise, yet I prevailed, moving onto tired limbs before standing, body trembling from a small cramp in my lower back. (Luckily a quick stretch solved that.) Glancing around, not a single soul was to be found… Which was strange, considering there was usually at least a student or two in here due to bad life choices… 

“... Ahhh… Ah…” 

“...! Is someone there?!” That voice… It had to be one of the students in the back room! (... Tragically, this wasn’t the first time someone was locked in there…) “Don’t worry, I’ll get you out!!!” 

I’d expected a “thanks,” or a “finally.” Even just rudely passing by…

What I didn’t expect was for sickly hands, bones peering through the flesh that latched onto my shirt, something that was… USED to be one of the students, eyes filled with a bloodlust that was unmistakable…

“GRAH!!!”

“AHH!!!” On instinct, I shoved them back into the closet, locking it back again, despite the banging that soon followed. I simply grabbed my back and ran out of the infirmary, only to hear more footsteps coming close…

Just down the hall, was a hoard of students… All of which were now indistinguishable from monsters.

“... No… No no no!!! What’s happening here?! I took a step back, uncaring of the broken and bandaged hands that reached out for me, ignoring the mocking voices that cried out for me, a desperate plea for nourishment… My blood… My flesh...

And then I sprinted down the hall, ignoring the shouts and jeers from behind as they followed after. Due to some of their changes, some students naturally lagged behind, yet some of the swifter monsters were right on my heels, reaching ever closer and closer, until one of them almost managed to snag my bag… 

… I needed to find somewhere safe, even if it was only for a short while, just enough time to understand the situation at hand…

But where could that possibly be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please choose one and Proceed to it's corresponding chapter:
> 
> [Left Hallway]
> 
> [Central Hallway]
> 
> [Right Hallway]


	5. [Left Hallway]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Running down the Left Hallway, you find...

My lungs burned, and my legs ached… Yet I’d managed to lose most of the students. One persistent vampire wouldn’t leave me alone though...

“GOTCHA!!!” 

“HHGRK!” The strap of my bag was snagged, before I was yanked to the ground, blood-red eyes watching me crawl back in fear...

“P-please… Don’t do this… I know you’re a better student than this…” Unsurprisingly, they didn’t seem to listen (or care,) fangs bared and ready to drain me dry… (… You know, my job in my own world may not have had benefits, but at least I didn’t have to worry about stuff like THIS happening…)

“Okay, what if I bribed one of the professors to give you an ‘A’?!” … He actually hesitated, but shrugged. Damn.

I shut my eyes, not wanting to witness the last, brief moments of my life…

“LASH OF LOVE!!!” … I wonder who that was.

“OUCH!!! HEY! BACK O-YEOWCH, I SAID STOP!!!” The crackling of a whip and wailing continued, until eventually the student ran away sick of the cruel assault… And instead, I found Crowley standing before me, talons stretched out.

“Mx. [Name]! Glad to see someone else is well~” Without hesitation, I took his hand, leaning against the wall to support my tired legs.

“What… The hell is going on here…?” He tried to speak, only to hear commotion from down the hall.

“Ah… Perhaps it’d be best to find somewhere safe to discuss this… Surely the library will be safe! After all, students have a natural aversion to places of knowledge! Ready Mx. [Name]?”

“No nO NO PLEASE LEAVE ME TO THE STUDENTS INST-AHHHHHHHH!!!”

By the time they reached us, all that was left was shattered glass from the window…

\-----------

We’d arrived in record time to the library, Crowley lazily thumbing through books and pages, while I coped on the floor, exhausted AND terrified for two different reasons…

“Hm… This is strange, oh so very strange…” I looked up from the ground, thinking he’d found a lead. “... I could’ve SWORN that this was the newest book of the ‘Moonlight’ series…”

“THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT?!?!” The book was tossed away.

“O-of course not!!! I… Was simply… Looking for a tome with the answer!” … Sure Headmaster. I laid back upon the makeshift pillow that was my bag, noticing a faint light protruding from it… 

“... Huh…?” Reaching inside, I grabbed my copy of ‘The Crimson Moon,” finding the bookmark was now glowing a sickly green… “... Hey Crowley… Do bookmarks just randomly glow in this world…?”

“Hm? Not to my knowledge… Unless it’s cursed or the like, but that’s quite rare! Why do you ask?”

“...”

“...”

“... This is NOT my fault! You can’t dock my pay for this!!!”

“MX. [NAME]!!! JUST WHO DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!?!”

“Well if you really wanna k-wait, no, no! We don’t have time for this! Just take the book!”

“Oh, alright! We shall discuss this later!!!” With that, he plucked the book from my hands, flipping open to the rose bookmark.

“... Oh my… I’ve never seen this curse in person, but I’ve heard of it once before… How did YOU, of all people, come about it?” The book was handed back to me as he inspected the slip of paper, as if seeing something I couldn’t.

“It fell from a merchant’s cart when I was in town. I tried returning it, but they were already gone… What does it do, Crowley?” His eyes were closed in thought, a rare, serious expression upon his face…

“... It seems that whichever book this mark is placed in, it will make that story a reality, though not permanently, depending on the scenario… There are just some stories too grand to sustain themselves through magic alone, after all…” Great! An answer!

“... Crowley. Does that mean every single person at this academy has apparently turned into a monster, and is trying to actively kill us.”

“... I would like to say ‘no,’ but it seems that is exactly the case.” … I’m never buying a book again.

“WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?! … Wait… If we’re going by this book’s plot, then… Crowley, you’re…!” He gasped in realization.

“Why… I must be young Rosalie~ … Wait, that means… STAY BACK MX. [NAME]!!! COWORKER OR NOT, I WON’T HESITATE TO USE THE LASH OF LOVE IF YOU TRY ANYTHING, EVIL BEAST!!!”

“IDIOT! I’M ROSALIE!!! I’M THE ONE WHO USED THE BOOKMARK, AFTER ALL!!!”

“... Fair point, although a tragic one. (Hah… There goes my dreams of being a protagonist…) … But also, this can’t be right… I’ve been here for quite some time, yet I’ve yet to succumb to this curse… Perhaps the story explains it in more detail?” … That was right… Perhaps there was a plot twist where Rosalie found another survivor…

“... Hah… I was hoping to take my time enjoying this story… Oh well, it’s an emergency.” I flipped open the book, and the moment I did, Crowley took a far-too close seat next to me… “.. May I help you, Headmaster?”

“Hm? No, I’m quite fine.”

“...” I went back to reading, yet it was proving fruitless, the glowing gold eyes unnerving me… “... Are you SURE you don’t need anything?”

“... Wellllll, since you’re offering, I’ve had quite the long day, so you wouldn’t mind reading out loud, yes? So your beloved Headmaster doesn’t have to strain his delicate eyes any further…”

“... Sure, why not.” It’s not like I minded too much, since it’d be beneficial for us both in the long run to know what was going on. (Besides, reading out loud helped me to focus better sometimes.)

“Wonderful~~~” With that, he adjusted to lay down, head plopped on my lap, (either blissfully aware of my surprise, or ignoring it. Who knows with him…) 

Once he finally got comfortable, I cleared my throat, beginning to read the next chapter…

“... Oh, and do feel free to gently run a hand through my luscious locks~”

“You haven’t earned that yet.”

“How cruel...

\-----------

… I wasn’t quite sure when we’d fallen asleep. (Perhaps it was sometime after chapter 5, when Byron had suddenly turned into a vampire within Rosalie’s arms… (And I’d caved and started to pet his hair… It really was luscious.))

All I knew is I awoke to Dire, shivering, yet soaked in sweat.

“Dire…? Are you alright?” The man attempted to sit up, yet nearly collapsed under his own weight. I managed to catch him, propping him against the nearby shelf.

“I… I’ll be fine, [Name]... Just a small fever, I’ve seemed to catch…” … Small seemed FAR from the right word to describe it, yet he was always one for dramatics… 

“... Ah… I’ll have to try and get some medicine from the Infirmary… Stay right here, alright Dire? I’ll be back in a mome-”

“No! … No, don’t leave me…” I couldn’t even if I wanted to, his hand catching me and pulling me close to him, into a hug…

“... Dire… I’ll be sure to be safe, I promise, just stay put. Even if none of the monsters can find you here, just leaving a fever by itself is dangerous…” His arms only tightened around me, pulling me closer into his embrace.

“I’m cold, [Name]... So cold…” I could tell, simply being close to him like this was making ME chilly… “ And you’re so warm, so soft…”

The moment I felt his lips press against my neck, alarms started blaring in my head.

“D-DIRE!!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” I tried shoving him away, but his grip remained, only moving us so I lay pinned beneath him…

“... And you MUST be as sweet as you taste…” The crimson eyes that peered through that mask filled me with dread I couldn’t contain…

… He must be Byron… Before I could plead with him, convince him this wasn’t what he wanted, fangs gleamed in the moonlight, before they dug into the flesh of my neck.

… Pain… Searing pain…

“D-DIRE…!” No matter how hard I squirmed, he held me within his grip, until the pain slowly ebbed away into a faint, dull ache… And even sooner, an almost… Pleasurable, feeling… I knew it was wrong to remain here, that I needed to push him away, yet… Suddenly all I could think of was him… “A-ah…”

“That’s it, such a good little robin… You’ll let me drink from you more, yes?” As he waited for a response, he greedily lapped at each and every drop that dared to escape him before, moaning quietly at the enthralling taste… Clawed hands moved to rove about my body, threatening to tear past the fabric to access the smooth skin beneath, each touch making my sanity leave and replacing it with a thick fog...

… I wanted to hear more… More, more, more… Even if it meant my own death, my demise… I wanted to hear him cry out in utter delight, pure satisfaction from what I could give him…

… Yet, there was a strange feeling within me… Something that told me if I were to fall to temptation now, I’d surely regret such a thing…

Or almost… As if it were someone else’s thoughts telling me this…

It was as if I were snapped back to reality, shoving the man off me. I didn’t wait for explanations, nor listen to his wails of agony as I sprinted away from the library, clutching onto the mark that now throbbed in a dull, yet persistent pain. Even if I were to consider turning back, I remembered it all too well…

That beautiful, pale face… A sadistic smile stained with blood adorning it. Surely if he truly had regrets, he wouldn’t be able to hold back much longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Eight.


	6. [Central Hallway]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Running down the Central Hallway, you find...

I have no idea how I’d managed it, but I escaped… (Of course, I made sure to lock and barricade the door first, not wanting to test fate…)

Once the screams and shouts from outside completely died down, I melted against the door, relief filling each and every inch of my soul… I had NO idea what was going on, but at the very least, it was BAD…

“Merow.”

“GYAH!” I crashed to the ground, quickly crawling back… Until I realized it was just Lucious, sitting perfectly comfy by his empty bowl of food. “L-Lucious!!! You scared me, silly cat…” 

I’m pretty sure he wasn’t going to reveal himself as a vampire cat or such, so I came over, gently scratching under his chin.

“Purr…”

“Little baby~~~ Poor baby too! Have you been all scared and alone here???”

“Not quite. He’s more inconvenienced, than anything.”

“GAH! P-PROFESSOR TRIEN!!!” Immediately my hands flew to the side, finding none other than the elder himself sipping a cup of tea at his desk… Not a physical one, no. It seemed whatever was going on’s affected him too, and now he was nothing more than a ghost… (... I also felt it was rude to mention it, so I refrained.) “T-Trein! What’s going on in the school?!”

He took another sip of ghost tea, gently placing the cup away. (It just vanished into thin air…)

“It seems a curse of sorts has overtaken the school. Not long after you’d returned to campus, students and staff alike started to change. I assume you’re the cause behind all this?” Lucious left his bowl, trying to take a seat on Trien’s lap, but simply fell through him, an annoyed meow escaping.

“I… No? I don’t think it was me… I did get a new book today, but I’m MORE than sure it couldn’t be cursed!“ He raised a brow, so I quickly pulled the book from my bag.

The bookmark… While before I could’ve sworn it glimmered before, now it was definitely glowing… A greenish hue that filled me with a strange sense of dread…

“Wait this… The bookmark!!! That must be what caused this!!!” I pulled the slip from the pages, bringing it to Trien. “When I’d been leaving the bookshop earlier, it’d fallen from someone’s cart! I can’t think of anything else it could be!!!” He’d tried to grab the paper to investigate it, but his hand simply phased through, much to his irritation.

“Here let me just… Move it for you.”

“Thank you, [Last Name].” Now he investigated the bookmark, brows knitting in frustration. “Yes… I’m sure this must be the cause of things… A shame Crewel was one of the first to turn, he’d know exactly how to undo this…”

“You don’t…?”

“I’ve more important things than to fret over hexes and curses all day, [Last Name].” … Yeah, that was fair. “ However… I’m sure quite some time ago, I’d witnessed a similar situation… Tell me, do you know how exactly this book ends?” 

“... Uh… One moment!” Taking a seat, I flipped towards the last chapter, quickly skimming it’s contents. 

“Meow.”

“O-oh!!!” I wasn’t expecting the sudden weight of Cat upon my lap, yet there was Lucious, quickly making himself comfortable on my lap… (It was cute, but I knew I was only a temporary replacement… I forced myself back to the book.)

“Alright… Okay, so it ends when the main character, Rosalie, survives after making an antidote to cure everyone… They’re almost killed, but by a stroke of luck manage to escape their attacker, and toss the antidote in the town bonfire, which makes it burst into smoke and reach everyone!” The man hummed in thought.

“Well then… I suppose we know just how to solve this conundrum. You’ll have to create this antidote, and start a fire. While it’s uncouth of me to encourage destruction of school grounds, I’d suggest the courtyard would be the best place for this.” He was right… It was a wide, open area that would help spread the smoke quickly!

“Then, there’s no time to waste! I need to get to the greenhouse as quickly as possible!!! … Thanks Trien, I’m glad someone’s stayed sane during all of this!” A rare smile escaped the man, before his tea rematerialized, taking a sip of it.

“Oh, do take Lucious with you. He’s quite annoyed from being cooped up here for so long… As you’ve probably guessed, I can’t open the door in my current state…” I glanced down at the cat, who simply stared back…

“... Would you like to come with me, Lucious?”

“Mrow.” … I’d take that as a yes.

Before I left the room, I made sure to look up the antidote’s recipe, marking the page for easy access. With that, I waved off Trien, Lucious hopping into my bag and making himself comfortable…

(... He was a big boy…)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Nine.


	7. [Right Hallway]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going down the Right Hallway, you find...

I couldn’t run anymore…

If I had started those morning workout routines with Vargas, could I perhaps have gone further? Yes, probably, but also that would not only require me to wake up early, but die inside from the exhausting routines.

So honestly? Yeah. I’d still choose this over waking up before 6 in the morning. I didn’t even bother to look up at the crowd of students that had gathered around, teeth gnashing and cackling…

“Just make it quick… Please… The longer I live, the more I have to breathe, and I’m tired…” A few of the more conscious students looked at each other, shrugging, before dashing towards my limp, soon-to-be corpse…

“BAD PUPPIES!!! STAY!!!” OH PLEASE JUST LET ME DIE ALREADY!!!

I forced myself to look up, a flash of magic flashing past me that sent students scattering from the harsh flames. A few more persistent ones continued onwards, quickly finding themselves washed away by vicious waves.

“Come on, pup! Get up already!”

“I’m too tired… Just go on ahead, I’ll catch up… Probably.”

“Hmph, I don’t like lazy dogs, much less those who bark… But since it’s you, I suppose I could make an exception...” Seeing his iconic, monochrome shoes clacking towards me, I groaned, soon finding myself tossed over his shoulders.

“Thank youuuu.”

“Thanks alone won’t make me forgive you.”

“Meanie.”

\-----------

It wasn’t much longer until we arrived in the Alchemy Lab, finding myself dropped on Crewel’s desk quite unceremoniously. 

“Rude!”

“I’d consider refusing to walk five feet while our lives are in danger is more rude..”... He was right, but I had to give him a hard time. (Unlike with Crowley, sassing him didn’t put my pay on the line.) I dramatically fumed, turning away with a pout, only to find a vial of water held before me.

“Drink up. A lot’s been happening, though I’m sure you can tell…” Once he was sure I at least took a sip, he flopped into his desk chair, sighing as he sunk into the soft leather. “It wasn’t long since I brought you to the Infirmary when it happened. Felmier was the first to change… Pup’s a lot stronger than he looks, took down Kingscholar. It all went downhill from there…”

(… Man… I kinda wish I could’ve seen that… I know it’s serious but… Y’know.) I quickly wiped the thought from my mind, taking another sip of water.

“How did this even happen…? Could this be a spell or something?! I know people can suddenly get sick and all, but for students to suddenly turn into zombies, and vampires, and… A lot more, that’s for sure…” I chugged down the rest of the water, carefully placing the glass bottle aside as he rose from his seat, grabbing a grimoire from the shelf.

“All I know is it’s a curse of some sorts. I’ve checked this entire grimoire front to back, yet haven’t found a lead… The closest curses are just too specific to be this.” The book was handed to me, and I gently thumbed through the pages until I found the index, mindlessly glancing through the countless spells until I paused.

“‘... Enchanted Bookmarks…?’” … It couldn’t be. I quickly flipped to the page number, reading the entry. 

‘An enchanted slip of paper that will make almost any story come true… Highly coveted by those who wish for true love, yet can be deadly if used for books considered horror/tragedies. Because of the dangers usage of this item can bring, they’re strictly regulated, and even illegal in some parts of Twisted Wonderland. Due to this status, they’re occasionally found sold by Black Market sellers. Ex. Fig. 204A.’

It didn’t take long to find the picture, instantly recognizing the stained-glass rose pattern.

“... Oh no…”

“Hm? What is it, puppy?” I felt him peer over my shoulder. I quickly snatched my copy of ‘The Crimson Moon’ from my bag, finding the rose bookmark glowing a sickly green… Immediately, ‘The Crimson Moon’ was snatched from my hands.

“This is… Bad puppy!!! Why in Wonderland do you have this?!” Oh man this looked bad.

“I-I… When I was coming to meet you at the tailor, I bumped into someone, and they dropped it! I tried returning it, but they were already gone! How was I supposed to know it was enchanted?!” … Oh man… This was really bad… I looked back into the book, hoping there’d be a solution…

“(... The tailor…?)” I glanced back, thinking he said something, yet there was no response back… I reluctantly returned to the book.

‘These slips of paper are quite dangerous, as upon activation, people in the user’s life will start to fill in the rolls of the book’s characters, ranging from being out of character/themselves, but fulfilling the character’s role nonetheless, to an exact replica of the character, even if they’re no longer the same person as a result of it. (Though, a mix of the two is possible, it’s generally quite rare.) If the curse isn’t deactivated, then it can be suggested that the “Actors” of the stories are deceased, replaced with the “Main Characters,” who will act in accordance to the book’s storyline.’

‘Luckily, there are multiple ways to end the enchantment. The first is to fulfill the obligations of the story, meaning it’s “Ending.” In some cases, this is impossible, as some stories do not have a defined ending. The next is to create a scenario that can create a new ending, which is far more difficult, but a possible option for those who’ve exhausted all other options…’

‘Of course, the simplest method is to simply tear the bookmark in two. The enchantment should eventually wear off on it’s own, replacing everything that’s been done.*’

‘*In rare cases, some have stated certain effects have lingered… But this has yet to be confirmed.’

“A-ah…! There’s an easy fix, thank god!!!” I tried showing Crewel the grimoire, but he didn’t take the book from my hands, simply smiling.

“Tearing the bookmark, right?”

“Y-yeah… You already knew?” He laughed. This wasn’t his normal, teasing chuckle, or the adorable, boisterous cackle he’d reveal during late nights in his office…

This was a deep, sadistic, laugh that made me shiver all throughout my spine.

“Of course I know how to stop it! I’ve memorised that entire book, start to finish! I was just having trouble figuring out which specific curse this was…” The book was tucked into his inner coat pocket with a dramatic pat, the action saying more than words could. “I could smell it… The fact you were still human. I figured you had something to do with this, so I needed to make you feel safe enough to share it. Who knew it was something as simple as this?” 

He stepped closer to the desk, breath hovering over my ear… I jumped away from the desk, only to feel my legs suddenly give out from beneath me, send me crashing to the ground. I… I wasn’t tired anymore, so why…

… I remembered the water in the glass vial, and how he made sure I drank.

“Y-you… What did you…” Even trying to raise my arm felt like lifting a heavy weight, my vision blurring… For the first time since we’d arrived, he’d stepped away from the darkness of the room, the bright-red moonlight from outside illuminating his features…

… I watched in dread as a pair of spotted ears sprouted from his head, thick tail swishing beneath his coat, and his fangs growing larger… 

“Quite the careless mistake, puppy, drinking something without checking it first… Don’t worry, I’ll make sure no one harms you… Except me, that is…” He joined me on the ground, pulling me into his lap with a deceptively sweet smile, kissing along my neck as I struggled to even move a finger…

“... I’m going to devour you, slowly, sweetly… So finally, FINALLY… You’ll be mine, and mine alone… Starting with that precious heart of yours…” He bit down hard at the junction of neck and shoulder, only whimpers able to escape me from the pain. (Even screams seemed too difficult of a task…)

… He must’ve been playing the role of Redd… He’d done the exact same thing to Rosalie in Chapter 6… Almost killing them, had Byron not sweeped in at the last minute…

This wasn’t a fairy tale though. I hadn’t even SEEN who Byron could possibly be… I was going to die, for real this time, and… There was nothing I could do about it, not even cry...

I simply closed my eyes, accepting of this fate before me…

…

……

………

‘.... ake… ake up…… You need to run…!’

… Great. I was hearing voices now… But… Something about that soft, scared voice sounded familiar, yet… It was clearly someone I’d never heard before… 

‘... RUN…!!!’

“... Hm?” Hearing Divus, I finally opened my eyes. When had I started pushing him away…? My arms still felt like lead, and even if I wanted to stop, it was… Impossible to. “Are you really trying to run from me? Even now? How cute…”

“N...Nghnn…” I kept pushing, despite his amused smile… “A-ah…!” I fell flat against the ground. He’d released me…

“I’ll cut you a deal… If you manage to make it to the door in, oh, 10 seconds, I’ll let you off... For now… Ten~”

Realizing the chance presented to me, I didn’t bother raising to my feet, knowing it was a waste of time. I crawled towards the closest door out of the Lab. It seemed so close, yet felt so far…

“Nine…” 

The cold, stone floor stung against my knees and palms, yet I ignored it, continuing on.

“Eight, seven, six…”

The damn cauldron…! I had to force myself around it, wasting precious time since it was in the middle of the room…

“Five, four, three…”

So close… So close…

“Two~”

I could hear him walking over… 

“A-ahhh…!” I forced myself up, quickly falling against the door.

“One.”

I turned back for a split second, the teasing, yet surprisingly kind coworker I’d come to know long gone, replaced by a vicious, beast who was eager to swallow me whole, blood-red eyes trained on me and me alone…

And quickly turned away, tossing open the door and bolting down the hall, ignoring the searing pain throughout my entire body. I didn’t even turn back to see if he gave chase, the man chuckling as he stood by the door.

“... Quite impressive, I must admit… I’d enjoy that last bit of freedom while it lasts.” Even from here, I could hear that horrible laugh, more akin to a horrid howl, than anything human.

“... No matter what, I WILL be the one to kill you… How else can I guarantee you’re mine alone? My favorite little puppy…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Ten.


	8. A Close Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though you managed to escape, the situation's become Dire...

The moment I entered the Infirmary, the door was slammed behind me.

“Haah… Haah…” I forced myself to lock the door before all else. Once I was sure all would be safe, I ignored the pleading of my aching body, dragging myself to the medicine cabinet.

It still hurt… 

Everything that was useless was tossed away to the ground, my hands trembling as I snatched some bandages, rags, and alcohol, before rushing to the sink. My heart sunk as I looked into the mirror, still seeing small streams of blood trickling from where Dire’s fangs had pierced through the skin…

“...If I hadn’t gotten away… Would he have…?.” All I could do was sigh, knowing my life had gotten even MORE complicated somehow… I could only assume he was “Byron,” since he basically fit the description to a “T,” but he was still Dire, it seemed… Would what worked on Byron really work on him?

“... Ahhhh! Why do I always get stuck with all the annoying work! He better treat me for lunch once this is all over…” Saying that, I finally paused long enough to clean and dress the wound, ignoring the dull, throbbing pain of the bite, only satisfied once it was completely covered and hidden from view. (Hopefully it wouldn’t fall out after five minutes…)

Well, there was nothing I could do now but try and find the cure. I pulled out “The Crimson Moon’ from my bag, skimming through the pages until I found what I was looking for...

‘Chapter 7: The Antidote’

I didn’t bother reading the meat of the paragraphs, skipping ahead until I found the recipe itself, boldly outlined. This was it… These were all things in the greenhouse! All I needed to do was sneak inside, and gather all the supplies! … Now I could only hope nothing would catch me on the way…

Making sure the book was safely tucked away in the bag, I carefully made my way out of the Infirmary, carefully avoiding halls that were littered with noise… I could only hope that taking the long way (the safest way) to the Greenhouse wouldn’t be the worst idea…

Yet with each step I took, the pain in my neck only continued to linger on and on… And it seemed to get worse. It wasn’t unbearable, per say, but it seemed to grow to a point where ignoring it would take everything I had…

It was only a matter of time before I collapsed against a nearby wall, clutching the agonizing bite though bandages in hopes that it would stop… (Spoiler Alert, it didn’t.)

(... Except, it actually did…)

“... Ah…” It was just a little, but the pain finally began to subside. Then, slowly but surely, it began to melt away, not quite back to how it was before, but better. However, now there was a new problem. As that pain seeped away, a new pain in my mouth was beginning to reveal itself. “Damnit! Can’t I have anything today?!”

I quickly glanced around, finding a restroom nearby, and dashed in. I was not prepared in the slightest for the sight before me…

Or well, the sight that wasn’t, when I looked through the mirror.

“... You’ve gotta be kidding me.” I moved to another mirror, nothing. I took out my pocket mirror, nothing. I took out my cell phone, well, something, at least! Though that wasn’t great either. Through the front camera, I examined the fangs that’d begun to grow in my mouth…

(Not gonna lie they were kind of cool, but tragically, the context prevented me from enjoying them.)

… Well. I was becoming a vampire.

“... DAMNIT DIRE!” … Okay, it wasn’t fair to blame him (for this,) but what was I gonna do now?! If everyone else was an indicator of things, it’d only be so long before I turned as well… Okay, if I assumed this was like what I remembered of the original story, then I’d probably have until morning to fix things before I turned as well. I needed to get it, and GO. (Especially because shouting in a restroom near a hallway with AMAZING reverb was probably a BAD IDEA.)

… On the bright side, the pain in my next was almost gone! So at least small victories were there! I made sure my belongings were safe and tucked away, before leaving, making sure to look both ways before crossing into the hallway.

As I continued on, the pain slowly began to pick up again (much to my dismay,) yet it wasn’t too bad compared to before. I continued weaving through hallways, in and out, and soon found myself nearing the exit into the Greenhouse! 

However, just before I could sprint, I heard the flutter of wings, my blood freezing.

There wasn’t time to think, and there sure wasn’t time to run. I dashed into the closest room, finding myself in a spare classroom. The door was quickly locked shut, and I hid under the professor’s desk.

“... Hm? I could’ve sworn my favorite little assistant was around here…” I could hear the jingling of keys loud as day from outside, forcing myself to calm my breathing… “Oh Mx. [Name]~ Where are you~” I glanced towards the floor, gasping at what I found.

“Oh? Did I just hear something?” I grabbed the object from the floor, holding it close to me… And then I heard the jingling of keys once more, the man skimming through his keyring, until he landed at the right one…

The door slowly creaked open, his footsteps clicking on the stone floor.

“Now, where could you be…” I slowly crawled out from under the desk, moving to hide on the other side of it… And the moment I heard him walk nearby, jumped up, pointing the pencil I’d found at him.

“STAY BACK DIRE!!!” He glanced at me, and then the pencil, and then at me again. And then he laughed.

“Mx. [Name], is a pencil really the best you could do? What good will that do you, hm?” I held the pencil higher, making sure to aim it at his heart.

“A pencil’s just a small wooden stake, Dire.” His laughter was abruptly cut short.

“Oh. I suppose it is…” He looked at me, I looked at him.

And then he lunged for me. And I lunged back.

I won’t lie, in the heat of the moment, I don’t remember exactly what happened. All I know is that at the end of it, I’d found myself pinning Dire to the ground, pencil hovering directly over his heart as he gulped. Those gleaming crimson eyes staring into my own...

“Don’t make me do this Dire… I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t let this curse continue!” I glared as he glanced around, trying to find something to help him.

“W-well now… I don’t see the reason to stop it, either! I think I look quite dashing with fangs!” 

“That’s not the point! Think things through, Dire!” I knew saying something like “What about the students?!” wouldn’t work, so I had to think hard… What is something that’d make him cave... “... If we don’t revert things back, you won’t be able to enjoy the sun in the Southern Islands anymore!”

He gasped in horror.

“We need to stop this curse right away, Mx. [Name]!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Eleven.


	9. Ambush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You run into unexpected trouble at the Greenhouse...

Quite some time had passed, but we’d finally arrived at the greenhouse.

“You doing okay there, Lucy?” I opened the back, golden eyes looking back into my own.

“Mrow.”

“Aww~ Cute little baby~... Not now! This isn’t the time for this [Name]!”... I did give him a pat before closing the bag again, continuing onwards.

I made sure to be extra careful roaming through the rows of thick vegetation, knowing I had a passenger with me… But I wasn’t sure if it was a luxury I could have for long. Especially now, there was a sense of dread crawling up my spine… I shook it off. The quicker I was, the faster I was out. One, two ingredients passed by… and before I knew it, I’d found them all, the final herb I needed tucked away in the back, placed right next to a bed of catnip. I could feel Lucious shuffling around in intrigue.

“Not now Lucy, I’ll be sure to get you some after, okay?” The last plant was covered in thick, sharp thorns, but thankfully a pair of shears were nearby, tucked next to a hose. (It was even one of the fancy kinds with the different pressure settings! I didn’t know they had them here!)

“Alright~ Lemme just do a quick snip, and… Got it!” Once the leaves fell to the ground, I gently scooped them away into my bag. “Great! Now we just need to brew this up, commit arson, then we can save everyone!”

There was an offended gasp from the other side of the hedge..

“Oh? You’d so cruelly set my academy ablaze after all I’ve done for you?! How cruel, Mx. [Name]...” Dire… His voice suddenly took on a playful turn, yet there was nothing fun about it. “Of course, I might just forgive your heartless declaration… If you let me have just an eensey, bitsy taste of your blood…” I peered down, seeing Lucious’ head poke from the bag.

“... Oh Lucious, we’re really in it now…” I needed to leave. Luckily, it sounded like Dire was taking his sweet time, so I could take advantage of that. I carefully crept away from the corner, ready to make a mad dash for it…

Only to freeze in my tracks, finding foreign, red eyes staring directly into my own merely a few feet away, an excited smile on the second man’s face… Tail and ears twitching in delight.

“There you are, puppy! I finally found you~… I’ve been quite lonely, you know?” At that moment, Crowley stepped from the shadows, joining alongside Crewel. While Crowley alone was dangerous… Something felt… Wrong, about Crewel. All I knew is I had to be careful...

“Ah, wonderful work Crewel! You were quite right about that nose of yours being able to sniff our beloved [Name] out!”

“Of course! Did you truly expect anything less? Now remember the deal. I won’t hesitate to tear you apart if you try and take more than your share.”

“Oh, how cruel, Crewel! After all I’ve done for you… Though, I suppose I can’t blame you for that. Even I’ve grown quite excited at the mere thought of having a drop of their delicious blood…”

… There was nowhere else I could go, except back away… Damn, anything was better than just giving up…! They didn’t seem to mind, laughing as they followed close by… On instinct, I held my bag tight to me…

“Mrow!”

“Ah, sorry…!!!” That was it!

“You two… Sorry, but I can’t afford to stay, so I’m just going to leave now…” I slowly crept back into the corner, hearing them laugh. They knew this was a dead end.

“After all I went through to find you pup? I don’t think so…”

“I must agree with Crewel! All that flying has left me quite parched… So don’t be shy, show me that beautiful neck of yours~” I ripped out some catnip from the garden bed, feeling Lucious grow rowdy from within the bag…

“Well… I guess it’s the least I could do for you, Dire… So come here, you special little Headmaster, you!” I could hear an annoyed growl (I assume from Crewel), and soon a happy coo (from Dire, I’m sure.)

“How wonderful of you! Now don’t move if you don’t want it to h-AH!”

“CATNIP!!!” The grass landed all over him, yet he looked more amused than anything once the shock died down.

“...Hm? Was that supposed to do something?” I gave the man a sweet smile, opening my bag.

“No, this is.” The moment Lucious’ eyes came in contact with Dire, he realized his fate.

“... Oh dear… HYAHHHH!!!” The bode boy instantly attacked, knocking the man to the ground with the sheer force of his weight. At first it was only for the grass, but… Man, I knew Lucious wasn’t a fan of Dire but… The moment he recognized the face, the claws came out, and they were digging in DEEP… Hearing Crewel laugh however, I realized I wasn’t done, quickly looking around for something I could use…

… Okay, I know I should use the shears but… I didn’t wanna KILL the guy… So I grabbed the hose instead, making sure it was cranked onto the highest setting…

“Cute trick you played on him, pup! Now let’s g-HEY!!!” 

“BATHTIME, MUTT!!!” … I’ll admit, this was me being a bit mean and enjoying how cathartic this whole situation was, so I paused for a moment after blasting him with a brutal jet of ice-cold water. (He looked like a wet dog! Ha HA!)

“You…! DON’T YOU DARE CALL ME A M-MMFH!!!” I sprayed him again with FAR too much glee, this time square in the face, before aiming at his feet, the werewolf tripping over his own paws straight into a nearby flower bed. I paused once more, unable to stop myself from crying in delight as he glared within the mass of leaves and vines.

“Looks like someone needs to be disciplined…” He tried sitting up, only to fall back in. “... What…?” He tugged and tugged, but only grew more stuck within the cluster of vines, eventually to the point where he could barely move…

“... Ah, fuck it, one more time~”

“DON’T YOU DA-MMPFH!!!” Satisfied with my work, I looked back at Dire, whimpering on the ground as Lucious returned to me, meowing until I let him back into my bag.

“... And because I’m such a kind, generous person…”

A shrill scream pierced the night sky from the unfortunate soul blasted with ice-cold water.

I felt no pity for them, giving Lucious a good pat as we left the Greenhouse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Twelve.


	10. Bargain Hunting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unexpected help arrives, but it comes at a price... Literally.

I ran until my limbs could go no farther, finding myself outside of Sam’s shop. I didn’t waste a moment, forcing myself through the door, and slamming it behind me… 

“Welcome! Welcome! Do feel free to take a look around!”

“GYAH!” I almost tripped over myself trying to leave, ignoring the man laughing from behind the register.

“Scared? Don’t blame you, these sales are SO low, it’s even scaring me! Oh, but if you’re actually worried about me killing you, don’t be! A corpse would be bad for the business AND my rug!” Not quite trusting him, I glanced around the room, yet… It seemed true. The Mystery Shop seemed the same as always… (Save Sam being an actual skeleton but hey! If he tried anything, I could just kick his femur!)

With that, I made my way further into the shop, eyeing the various trinkets and spooky decorations that lined the shelves in preparation for October… (Fitting this was happening this month.) Eventually I made it to his register, where he was watching… Waiting for an opportunity to make a sales pitch…

“... So apparently the school’s cursed.”

“Say no more! I have just the thing in stock! … Is what I’d like to say, but a man needs more details than that, [Name]!” A sat on a nearby stool, resting upon the counter.

“Okay so! I bought a book today, and when I was leaving the bookshop, I came across this bookmark. Right before Crewel tried to kill me, he told me the bookmark was enchanted to make whatever book it was placed in come to life, and tragically for me, it was a horror story… (And romance, but that’s not important.) So. What you got for me to work with Sam?”

“Just the thing, that’s what~” With that, he disappeared into the back. It felt like the exact moment I blinked, a freshly poured cup of lemonade appeared before me. (I decided for my own sanity not to question it and enjoy the drink.) It seemed not even a moment later, the man returned, multiple boxes in hand and dropped onto the counter. 

“First thing’s first! You tryin’ to kill him?” I choked on my drink.

“H-HELL NO!!! I’m trying to lift the curse, not kill Crewel!!!” One of the boxes was tossed over his shoulder, making me wince at the loud impact.

“Just making sure! I don’t know how this story of yours is supposed to go, you know!” All I could do was roll my eyes as he laughed. “In that case… You’re in a bit of a pickle, ain’t ya? Roaming through these halls, without a clue of how to end it all… After all, everything you needed was in that book, was it not?”

I winced, knowing he was right… The book (and it’s mark) were in Crewel’s hands. I’d surely die if I tried to take it from him. Sam merely smiled (as much as a skeleton surprisingly could,) before opening the remaining boxes on the desk, revealing a pendant, a vial, and…

“T-THAT’S THE BOOK!!!” I didn’t waste a moment to take it, but I was stopped, having it swiped before me.

“Not so fast! Aren’t you being a bit brash? Don’t you think you wanna hear the catch?” … Damn, he was right. I sat back in my seat, giving him the floor.

“Thank you~ Now… To help you with this werewolves’ curse, I’ve got just the stuff to keep you human, so! For the low, low price of 5000 Madol, an elixir to turn one human to prevent new woes!”

“Ooh, that’s great, but… How would I get Crewel to take that…” He smiled, before pointing at his neck. I was confused, but then remembered…

… Crewel had bit me. The pain had long since subsided but… I had no idea if I’d still be human within the hour. If this curse affected me like it did everyone else, then would I even be able to save the school after…?

“Now! Our next item in stock now!” From the next box, he pulled out a silver pendant, dangling it on his fingers. “This beauty’s made with pure, shining silver, sure to keep any wolves away, or at least hurt the daring ones! (Won’t kill ‘em though, but if it does… No refunds.) Rumor even has it that it can prevent you from getting possessed too! And it can be all yours for three payments of 15000 Madol!”

“Sam… That sounds great, but you’re killing me…” Again he laughed, and honestly? I did too. His little spiels were always amusing. Finally he held up the book again, the cover’s red moon reflecting in the room’s low light.

“Our last special for today’s none other than a copy of Twisted Wonderland’s current bestseller, ‘The Crimson Moon! A riveting story about an unfortunate pal, Rosalie Brushmire, and their mission to save Moonshire! But oh ho ho! Will they succeed, or be tempted to converting… All for the criminally low, one time payment of 55000 Madol!”

“FIFTY-FIVE THOUSAND MADOL???”

“Ay, what can I say? Limited Edition Hardcover! Even comes with a limited-run postcard and Pod! figure!” … That book would be infinitely valuable but… I couldn’t afford that right now!!! Payday was (or, would’ve been) tomorrow!!!

“... I’ll take the elixir and pendant…”

“SOLD~ And lucky for you, in promotion of ‘The Crimson Moon’, you get a free blindbag keychain too~ Have a good one, and come back soon, will you? (Oh, and be sure to drink that elixir before putting on the pendant, too.)”

With that, I left the store. (Though, I jumped, finding a group of students-turned-monsters outside the door. We just avoided eye contact and shuffled past…) Soon the door shut behind me, and I was back in danger… I quickly downed the elixir (which surprisingly tasted like… Pepto Bismol, really,) and immediately, a weight I hadn’t even realized on my shoulders was gone…

“... Well, since I’m still here… Might as well see what keychain I got…” I tore the packaging, sighing once I pulled out the rubber charm.

...Of course I got Redd… (I attached it to the pendant since I might as well use it…)

\-----------

The library was dead silent…

I double-checked to make sure I was wearing the pendant, before quietly creeping towards the romance section. (Hopefully it wasn’t in the horror section this time…) I was feeling doubtful, since it was new, but there was always a chance at least a single copy of it would be in the library… Either way, I didn’t have much in the way of options anyway, so it wouldn’t hurt.

Each quiet step was filled with an immeasurable amount of anxiety, yet I finally made it over, flipping through each of the book spines… Nope, nope, nope… And nope. I sighed, this time creeping to the horror section, which was on the other side of the library. (Hooray.) Once I’d finally made it, I flipped through the covers once more. Nope… Nope… Nope… And then a gap, right where it would’ve been, if it was here…

“Looking for something, pup?” My blood froze, hearing that unmistakable voice… I stepped back, finding Crewel sitting in a chair not far from me, boredly thumbing through the book. However, this copy had the library’s label on it’s spine.

Damnit… I should’ve known he’d come here. 

“... Nothing in particular. How about you…” I continued to step back, while he merely smiled. The book was tossed onto a nearby table as he rose to his feet, starting towards me, fangs bared. Those crimson eyes glanced down at my neck, and he frowned.

“Hm… My bite’s gone… How cruel of you, puppy… Ah? This is...” I was caught off guard at the sudden shift of tone, frozen in place as he took the pendant and keychain in his hands…

“A-ah… Ahhh…” The scream echoed through the halls of the library. All I could do was watch as he fell to the ground, clutching his hand in agony, the pendant and keychain falling from it onto the floor… Though I couldn’t see through the gloves, I could smell something… Burnt. (I THOUGHT SAM SAID IT WASN’T SUPPOSED TO KILL THINGS!) 

Cold-steel eyes in agony looked into my own, and for the first time today, I felt safe… Even so, I could still tell he was fighting it back, and only barely...

“[N-Name]... Chapter Seven, Chemical Storage… Fire…”

… I nodded at the man, running past, making sure to grab the book off the desk.

Only seconds after I’d left the library, I could hear a howl of anger, my blood going cold as I heard him scream…

“R… ROSALIE!!!”

\-----------

The moment I arrived in the Chemical Storage room, I flipped open the book to Chapter 7, not wasting another second to find the right ingredients listed within and drop them in the cauldron. I didn’t have time to waste. Once he found me again, I knew he wouldn’t let me go… 

I dropped the final ingredient into the cauldron, triple-checking to ensure I hadn’t missed another step, before mixing it all together as it bubbled and bubbled within… I left only to grab a clean vial from the lab, popping the cork and grabbing a ladle. Large clouds of steam slowly began to waft from the liquid, and I knew it was complete, dipping in the ladle and carefully filling the bottle before corking it.

If I understood Divus, it wouldn’t react properly unless the antidote itself came into contact with fire… But if I tried to use the Alchemy Lab for this, I doubt it’d spread far enough…

I could only hope he could hold off Redd long enough that I could start a bonfire in the Courtyard…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please Proceed to Chapter Thirteen.


	11. The End...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With your newfound Alliance with Dire, the two of you work to solve the crisis...

“We need to stop this curse right away, Mx. [Name]!” 

I finally allowed myself to relax, sighing in relief… We might have a chance after all… I froze however, suddenly feeling cold, metal claws rest upon my cheek, gently pulling my lip up to reveal my fangs.

“Oh my… It seems you’ve come down with the curse as well…” he was staring FAR too intensely for my liking! (Also, WHY WAS I ON TOP OF HIM AGAIN?! I DIDN’T WANT TO BE STARING INTO THOSE CRIMSON EYES… Those pretty, delicate midnight locks that curled around his moonlight skin so delicately… NO! STOP THAT TRAIN OF THOUGHT!!!) I quickly shooed his hand away, before climbing off him, offering my hand to the man.

“Really now? Who’s fault do you think THAT is,Dire?!” He clearly wasn’t apologetic in the slightest, rising to his feet and dusting his slacks.

“Why, I haven’t a clue! It’s no matter, however. What’s important is that we find a means of ending this curse! Now, is there an antidote of sorts we could use?” I flipped back to Chapter 7, showing him the recipe.

“Right here! We should be able to find everything in the Greenhouse! Since you’re here now, it should be a breeze!” He puffed up at the praise, eyes squinting in delight.

“Of course! I’m quite the talented man after all~ I’ll simply fly in and out, and we’ll be able to brew it! This room should be suitable enough, so I suggest you remain here and prepare, while I gather! Though you’ve partially turned, I’m sure a few students would still be all too eager to attack…” 

He was right… There was no guarantee I’d be safe, especially since I’d yet to even see Redd yet. One wrong move, and I’d be no more… Even so, I hated it, feeling my heart flutter from his words… (He was always looking out for me, wasn’t he…) I quickly brushed it off, forcing a (hopefully) normal smile at the man.

“G-great! I’ll see you in a bit!” And not a moment later, he was gone with the wind… I opened a nearby shelf, grabbing an old beaker from the shelf, when suddenly, there was a sharp, agonizing pain in my neck.

I’d barely registered the glass shattering to the ground, barely catching myself on a nearby desk, stumbling into a chair. All I could do was clutch my neck, feeling that same pain from before… When I was by the restroom. At least then, it was gradual, so I hadn’t even realized how badly it’d gotten…

Pain… Pain… Searing pain… 

I hadn’t even realized how much time had passed. Even so, it was suddenly gone. My eyes snapped open, and only now I realized how hard I’d been breathing…

And then the door slammed open, Dire coming through.

“I’m back~ I’m sure you’ve missed your favorite Headmaster, so no need to hold back the… Praise… Mx. [Name], did something happen?” The bag of ingredients was tossed aside, Dire gently taking my sweat-soaked face and examining it with a cautious eye.

“I… I don’t know… Right after you left, I just… It hurt…” Unconsciously, I clutched my neck, wincing at the slight sting where the mark was. He hummed in deep thought for quite a while…

“Perhaps there’s something about this in that book of yours. I haven’t a clue of what it could be myself, since I doubt even I had this pain during my transformation.” 

“G… Good idea…” Wiping my hand of sweat, I grabbed ‘The Crimson Moon’ from my bag, trying to stop my hands from trembling as I sifted through the pages… I’d landed around Chapter 6 when I’d found it, remembering...

\-----------

“I-it hurts… Why is that? Every moment, every step I take away from you… It only hurts worse and worse…” Soft, satin gloves caressed my cheek, those soft, wine-red eyes staring into my own with love… Yet as much as I wanted to return said love, I knew I couldn’t.

“It’s because I’ve marked you as my own, my sweet Rosalie… As long as that bite remains, and you’ve yet to convert, every step away from my side will result in sweet, horrific agony…”

“B-Byron!!! Why would you do such a thing?!” Fingers tilt my chin, allowing him to admire his mark further, lips turning into a sadistic smile.

“Because I love you, my dear… And even a mere moment away from you is agony. At least this way, you’ll understand…” Slowly, his face closer to mine, soft, ashen lashes gently fluttering in the moonlight…

“... So please… Don’t hurt us again. Never, ever leave my side again… Or we just might regret it…” 

\-----------

I slammed the book shut. No. No no no. No no no no no.

“Mx. [Name]? Did you find a cause for the p-”

“Nope forget about the pain it’s not important let’s make the potion.”

“Are you sure…? You still look quite unwe-”

“LET’S MAKE THE POTION.”

… I refuse. I REFUSE.… (It couldn’t be… Nope, not at all. The book was LYING.)

Though it seemed Dire wanted to argue, I didn’t give him the chance to, taking another beaker from the shelf to get started.

\-----------

I couldn’t stop myself from glancing over at Dire, who was currently using fire magic to heat up the water…

There was a concentration I’d rarely seen as he took great care to ensure the water would boil, but not too much, as to burn the ingredients. Those intense, crimson eyes… I couldn’t help but mourn a bit, missing that beautiful gold they once were… Yet that smile was still the same…

… Why was I having such… Lovey-dovey thoughts all of a sudden?! It made no sense! … I mean, yeah he was handsome and had a cute smile but… He was an utter CLOWN of a man! A lazy, deadbeat of a Headmaster who only did his job when it personally benefited him! 

… Who… Was also somewhat cute… And surprisingly a little kind sometimes… And...NO! NO NO NO! I WON’T SAY IT! That… That feeling… I knew it, but it was never THIS bad! This had to be the book’s doing! I took a deep breath, slapping my face lightly while ignoring the stare from besides me.

“... Dire, how's that brew going?” 

“Oh, um… Quite well. The water’s at the perfect heat, so we should be able to add the proper ingredients now. First would be… This one!” I reached for the herbs he pointed towards, only for a gloved one to rest on my own. I quickly pulled away, feeling my face burst into flames.

“S-sorry! I’ll… Get the next ingredient! … Ah!” Before I could move, I found his eyes staring into my own… Finding myself lost in the delicate light from beneath his mask…

“Mx. [Name]... You’ve been affected by this curse as well, aren’t you?” … Well. That was obvious.

“Of course I am! I was bit after all, remember? You were there.” A claw grazed my cheek, making me gasp.

“... No, before that. I’ve always suspected you’ve had an interest in me, yet… It feels strange. Even if you did hold an interest for me, you’ve never acted so obviously of it before… Not only that, but you’ve even begun to call me by my first name, instead of ‘Headmaster’ or ‘Crowley…’”

… He was right. I hadn’t even realized I’d begun to address him by his first name… (It was unprofessional, after all.) But… Could that really be because of the curse itself? Or was it my actual feelings? Did I really like Di-err, Crowley like this before, or was it just the book forcing me to fill that role instead? … His laugh suddenly snapped me away from my thoughts.

“Well, I suppose it does no harm to tell… But I’ll have you know, I’m grown quite fond of you, little robin~ Though, I’m sure my own feelings could possibly be warped by this curse as well… So I suppose we’ll just have to test that hypothesis once we fix everything once and for all, yes?” With that, he gave a thousand-dollar smile, fangs gleaming in the faint moonlight...

… And my face burned harshly.

“Y-you… DON’T ACT SO COOL ALL OF A SUDDEN!!!”

“Wha- I’LL HAVE YOU KNOW FOR A FACT THAT I’M ALWAYS COOL!!!”

The two of us paused, before bursting into laughter. (Had his laugh always sounded so sweet before…?)

\-----------

After what seemed like hours, the potion finally finished brewing, and was promptly poured into two spare beakers… (Yeah it was bad lab etiquette to use equipment for drinks but… We didn’t have options.) We each grabbed a beaker, and even gave a small, dramatic “clink” of the glasses.

“Cheers to my next vacation~”

“Y-yeah! Cheers!”

And then we each took a big sip. And immediately gagged, slamming the glasses onto a nearby desk.

“GOOD HEAVENS THAT WAS AWFUL!”

“Water… I need water…” I fell to my knees, my mouth in horrific agony… Dire from above meanwhile was practically hacking his lungs up, sounding more akin to a dying bird rather than a charming vampire. “W-well… At least we should turn back… But I have no idea how we’d make the students drink this… How long do you think it’d be…?”

Now he joined me on the ground, looking like death itself.

“I… I suppose about five minutes or so… “ I could only sigh hoping it wouldn’t be too painful…

A minute passed… Then two… Soon three and four…

“... Dire… It’s been five minutes, why hasn’t anything happened?” He checked his mouth, still finding fangs there.

“... Perhaps another five minutes…” So we waited another five minutes… And nothing changed. 

“... It didn’t work, did it, Dire…” I could feel my heart growing tight. Despite everything we’d done, all that work and stress… It was all for nothing…

“... Oh… Ohh…” 

“... Dire?” For a minute, I was hopeful, thinking the antidote started to work…

“Ohhh… UUUWOOOOO…” He started bawling… So badly, he even started to hiccup in the middle of his sobs… (Somehow this hurt worse than being condemned to the life of a vampire…)

“Dire…! Shh, it’s okay, come here…” I quickly pulled the man into a hug, gently running a hand along his spine as he continued to bawl.

“H-HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GO T-TO THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS N-N… NOOOOOOW?!” Somehow his bawling got even louder… The poor man…

“Shh, shh… It’s okay, we’ll find a way…”

… In reality, I didn’t know if we COULD find a way… I was feeling helpless as well, knowing our one chance at returning to normal was gone… Yet, even so…

“... I know we can find a way. As long as we’re together, Dire…”

I placed a gentle kiss atop his forehead, (gently knocking off his hat to do so.)

And suddenly it all went black.

\-----------

“... Hm… I think they might be dead… Perhaps Vargas would help me hide the body…”

… I forced myself awake, because for some, STRANGE reason, I felt I was in danger.

And then found myself looking at a certain Headmaster in the Infirmary, who immediately proceeded to act as if he HADN’T started to plan what ditch to dump my body in.

“Crowley… Please don’t bury me alive, I don’t get paid enough for that…”

“Mx. [Name]!!! Oh thank heavens you’re alright!!!” He was all wide smiles, until I could see it happening. He was about to cry. Normally I’d just try not to laugh whenever he sobbed (over his coffee having gone cold or some other minor inconvenience, though I did attempt to comfort him still,) yet this time, despite what I just heard prior… 

“... Headmaster, do you want a hug?”

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! MX. [NAME], I’D THOUGHT WE’D LOST YOU!!! WHO WOULD’VE HELPED ME WITH MY PAPERWORK IF YOU WERE GONE!!!” I ignored that last part for both our benefits, the old crow practically tackling me into a hug. (For a moment, I’d thought the cot I was on would’ve snapped until the force.)

“Let it all out Headmaster, I won’t be snarky… This once.”

… Though I was worried my eardrums wouldn’t survive the session, at least for today, I’d spoil him…

\-----------

“... Wait a minute… YOU DON’T REMEMBER ANY OF THAT HAPPENING?!?!” Crowley quickly averted his gaze in guilt.

“A-ah… Er… Well, you see… I was… Busy assisting Coach Vargas on the track!!! Yes, he needed help with broom lessons this afternoon!!!” I looked him dead in the eyes, yet… For some reason, it didn’t feel like a lie this time.

… I swear to GOD if this was all just a dream I was going to SCREAM. If I was forced to endure all that embarrassment when I could’ve dreamed of like… Eating soup or something, I was going to be PISSED. So I grabbed my bag from besides the bed, finding my copy of ‘The Crimson Moon…’

And found the stained-rose bookmark, no longer a mix of vibrant colors, but a dull grey hue…

And I violently tossed it across the room directly into the trash can, ignoring the scream from besides me.

“I never want to see another bookmark ever again…” He apparently decided not to question it, simply mumbling to himself while adjusting his collar.

“Y-yes… Well… If you’re starting to feel better, I suppose I should get back to work…” … Honestly, I was a bit saddened by that. Even if he could be a handful, I genuinely did enjoy his company… “But… Since you’ve had a rough day… How about we go into town for dinner once I’ve finished? I’m sure you’ll be quite hungry by then… My treat, of course!”

I could feel my face heat up a tad, hearing his words…

“... This isn’t a ploy to try and butter me up into not suing the school, is it?” … He didn’t respond. 

“... Pfft… Haha… HAHAHAHA!!!”

“MX. [NAME]!!! WHAT’S SO FUNNY?!” He simply pouted as I continued to laugh until tears began to brew, but eventually it all died down…

“I’m not gonna sue the school Dire, it was an honest accident… But if you’re going to invite me out for that, I refuse. I wouldn’t enjoy the night knowing it was supposed to be a bribe.” I could see his entire body relax, knowing the finances were safe… And then he smiled. That bastardous, scheming smile... 

“Is that so… Well then! I supposed I’ll just have to make it a date, if that’s the case!”

“... Huh?” Before I could get a word in, he was out the window… And then back in, to take my hand and leave a kiss upon it.

“I’LL SEE YOU TONIGHT MX. [NAAAAAAAaaaame]...”

… And then he was gone…

… THAT JERK! HE DIDN’T EVEN GIVE ME A CHANCE TO SAY NO!!! … He didn’t tell me where we were going! Oh, I bet he was going to choose that one place with the fajitas and margaritas he liked…!

… But I couldn’t help but smile, looking at my hand… Yeah, he had a long way to go if he wanted to try and win my heart, but I couldn’t lie. I was excited to see how he’d attempt it…

[The End]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations! You've reached the Alternative End! Hope to see you in the Sequel! (Just kidding lmaoo!)


	12. The End!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've made the antidote, so all that's left to do is trigger it...

It was time.

The potion was brewed, matches were procured, and the cat was snug too…

Time to commit crimes, (and with Trien’s blessing, no less!)

Though… I had to admit, I wasn’t feeling confident walking into the courtyard… Not a single soul was to be seen, and considering the events of today… That felt REAL suspicious. I even did a triple take, yet didn’t see a single soul in sight…

“Mrow.”

“... Yeah, you’re right… I should be grateful for this… Alright! Let’s go!” I carefully rummaged in my bag, avoiding the mass of fur to pull out the matches, taking the first stick and giving it a good flick… And another… And another...

“... Damn, did I really mess this up now???” I tossed aside the other match into a nearby trashcan, grabbing another, giving it a flick… And another… And another…

“... Really. We’re really doing this.” Again tossed, I took out another match, so determined to get it to light, I ignored the sounds from behind me, unaware of the being crawling out from the courtyard well. (Despite the loud, obnoxious smacking sound…

“Hey there Mx. [Name]~ You need some help with that match?”

“Oh! I actually do, thank you Floyd! … FLOYD?!” I didn’t hesitate, jumping back from the newfound presence. Unsurprisingly, he seemed like the same old Floyd, all smiles and laughs… (Except even if he was, that was still kind of a problem, considering his track record…)

“Hey~ Why’re you running? Are you just gonna leave your matches?” … I pat down my body. I swore they were in my hands, and they weren’t on the ground either…

And then I found them in Floyd’s grip, and I knew he wouldn’t let it go. Even if he did, chances were they’d all be soaked and useless.

“Floyd, that’s… I needed those to lift the curse!!!” He looked GENUINELY surprised.

“A curse? Ahh, is that why everyone’s been acting weird? Cool~”

“... Wait… YOU’RE NOT CURSED?!”

“Nah, I was just taking a nap in the well! But this sounds interesting! HEY EVERYONE~ MX. [NAME]’S HERE AND THEY AREN’T CURSED~” 

“SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT U-WAHHH!!!” A giant tailfin knocked me off my feet, (a loud screech following from Lucious,) and by the time I recovered, I barely made out Floyd diving back into the well… But I could see the hoards of students beginning to seep into the courtyard…

… If I got out of this alive, by GOD Leech would get an F in at least ONE of his classes…

“Meow?” Lucious poked his head out from the bag.

“Yeah. We’re fucked. Honestly though? Surprised I haven’t yet so I’ll give myself credit for t-HAT!” A hand burst from the ground nearby, almost snatching my leg. “WAS THAT A FUCKING HAND?! OH FUCK THIS ACTUAL LUCIOUS WE’RE OUTTA HERE!”

“MEOW!” Clutching the bag tight, I carefully maneuvered around the field of limbs that began to sprout, refusing to turn back and witness unpleasant sights I did NOT wanna see… But even so, it was looking grim… Most of the exits were quickly becoming swarmed with other students, mummies, p… Plague doctors…? And… Okay, pirates weren’t even monsters either! … Ah, it doesn’t matter! I quickly dashed towards the last remaining exit… Only for flames to suddenly fill my vision, nearly burning me to a crisp… 

And as the lone dullahan slowly rode towards me, I backed away, soon finding ourselves surrounded… The bright blue, flickering flames on it’s head signifying my fate… And then I had an idea.

“... God, I hope I don’t get sued for this. LUCIOUS! THAT GUY SAYS HE WANTS TO SWITCH YOU TO DRY FOOD!” 

“MROW!” 

“W-wait wait w-WAH!!!” I opened the back, my beloved feline sidekick leaping from the bag, claws out and ready to pierce into the dullahan’s heart. (I ignored the pleas for mercy, I couldn’t afford to give mercy right now.) The crowd began to disperse, people understandably NOT wanting to get hit by the now rampaging horse, while I only stepped closer, taking out the antidote…

“YEET!” A high pitched scream filled the air as the jar shattered against the pumpkin-shaped head, Lucious hissing from the sudden liquid.

“GOOD BOY!!! COME HERE!!!”

“MEOW!” Lucious jumped into my arms…

And then there was an explosion. I’d barely managed to cover Lucious with my body before it all went black…

\-----------

“...”

“...”

“... Meow.” … It felt like something was poking my face… “ Meoow.”

… Yeah, something was DEFINITELY poking my face…

“Nnghgnh…” I forced my eyes to open, golden ones staring right back at me… From the Infirmary. “Hewwo there… I’m going back to sleep.” 

“Meow!” This time the paw was gently smacked against me.

“Okay, fine! … Wait…” … I was ALIVE???

I struggled, but managed to sit up, glancing around the room to find it completely empty, save for me and Lucious… That was, until the door opened, Trien stepping into the room with a steaming bowl of soup.

“Ah, you’ve seemed to have finally woken up.” The bowl was gently placed on the table next to me, it’s heavenly scent filling the air.

“You’re… Not a ghost anymore. That must mean… THAT WORKED???” A brow raised at my proclamation, the man only more confused as I grabbed my bag, rummaging through it to find the book. Once I’d found it, I took the bookmark, finding it completely devoid of color. 

“Mx. [Name], that’s…” Lucious hissed, swatting the bookmark from my hands onto the floor, where Trien picked it up. “... I won’t ask now, but I expect an answer on why you have such a thing later.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got you… Also, can I ask a favor?” He didn’t respond, but I could tell he was listening. “Could you like. Give Floyd Leech an F on his next test, or at least detention or something? He REALLY screwed over me and Lucious when that curse was going on.” I figured he was going to say no honestly, and why wouldn’t h-

“He upset Lucious, hm? … I’ll see what I can do about that.” He chuckled, and suddenly I felt very bad for Floyd… But only for five seconds. With that, Trien stood from his seat.

“I shall leave you be for now. Crewel should arrive sometime in the next hour or two to check your health and administer any medicine if needed, and the Headmaster has also given you the next few days off. However, recovery or not, I expect you to keep Lucious entertained. It seems he’s quite worried about you…”

“Meow.” The air immediately left my lungs as said cat climbed onto me, shuffling before taking a seat on my chest.

“Y-yes sir…”

With a grunt, Trien left the Infirmary, leaving me all alone with Lucious…

… In all honesty, I didn’t really MIND Lucious being on me… But the soup…

“... Please let me eat… I’m hungry…” He gave me a blank look, before standing.

And then scooting closer before laying down again.

“... Hah…”

[The End.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations! You've reached the Normal Ending! (The most tragic of all... Your soup will go cold.)


	13. The End...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stakes are high, and you can only hope they won't go higher...

I just needed to set a fire, and this would all be over… 

I held the stack of exams close to my chest. I needed kindling, and I sure wasn’t about to go into the forests around campus to find some. (I knew Crewel would forgive me for it, even if he’d be a bit annoyed. (I’m sure he’d even jokingly suggest that I should’ve burned a different professor’s exams!)) I carefully maneuvered the halls, avoiding any with even one lingering student as I headed towards the Courtyard to start the fire...

I could only hope I understood Divus right. If I fucked up… He was basically as good as dead…

“... Ah, I don’t have time for this…” I shook off the nerves, reaching into my bag to triple-check that the antidote was there. “... As long as I have this, everything will be alright…” 

I forced a smile, continuing towards the Courtyard, completely oblivious to the man who heard me from halls away… Fangs curling into a snarl.

\-----------

I was mere steps from the Courtyard when I heard it, my body freezing.

That piercing howl… Without a doubt, it was clear he wasn’t far. (I’d at least hoped it’d have been AFTER I started the fire…)

I took a deep breath, clutching my bag closer to my chest as I continued, walking into the dark, abandoned Courtyard, knowing there wasn’t much time… If I didn’t start now, I wouldn’t get a second chance, Redd would guarantee it...

… I could hear him right behind me… I didn’t pause, but I glanced back, finding no sign of the man. I continued on, scanning everywhere around me, with no sign of life… I finally stopped around the center of the Courtyard, scattering the exams at the base of one of the smaller trees.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Tree, it’s an emergency…” I whipped out the box of matches I’d taken from the lab, quickly setting it alight and flicking it into the pile, watching as the papers slowly began to light, and soon flaring to life. I stepped back, making sure I was a safe distance away, watching as it began to light the middle of the Courtyard.

I took out the bottle, taking a deep breath…

And tossed with all my might, knowing it would all be over...

“NOT SO FAST!” 

“GYAH!” Just before the bottle left my grasp, sharp claws snatched my arm, digging into the flesh painfully. “Get… OFF ME!!!” Since it (technically) wasn’t Divus, I wasn’t going to hold back, not this time. I elbowed him in the ribs, quickly shoving him away during the shock of it. He reached out to snatch me again, but missed…

However, his claws caught on my cardigan, forcing me to lose my balance, and soon the bottle that crashed to the ground, shattering to the ground...

“No… NO!!!” I fell to my knees, gathering the shards in my hands… Yet I knew there was nothing I could do… I was stupid, I should’ve brought an extra bottle…!

“I… I already told you, Rosalie… I’m going to kill you.” All I could do was glare at those crimson eyes as he stepped forward. “I’M NOT GOING TO LET BYRON INTERFERE THIS TIME!” … No. You know what? Fuck it! If I was going to die, I wasn’t going to let him walk over me like I was some cheap doormat!

“OPEN YOUR EYES DUMBASS! I’M NOT FUCKING ROSALIE!!!” I rose to my feet, shoving the man away. For a moment, he was clearly shocked I was fighting back, but quickly gained back his anger.

“Don’t… DON’T YOU LIE TO ME!!! NOT AGAIN!!! … You’ve always lied to me… Saying you were spending time with your family, you were running errands… Every. Single. Time, you had an excuse… I didn’t even ask for much, I just wanted to sit around the lake and talk like we always did…” His fists clenched in anger.

“Yet low and behold, you were always ditching me for fucking Byron. I could’ve cared less if you dated him, I would’ve been fine with just being friends… Yet apparently the moment HE showed up, I was nothing but a waste of time… A-ah…” He clutched his head, as if he were in agony… All I could do was wince as his claws dug into his scalp, small trickles of blood starting to seep out.

“Aaaaah… What did you do to me…? Ever since I last saw you… It hurts… It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…” For a brief moment, his eyes faded into a dull grey…

“I-I don’t wanna hurt you… I hate you, but I don’t wanna hurt you… No, that’s a lie, I do… I do…? Aaaah… Can’t this fucking headache go away?!” The pain must’ve been excruciating… He’d fallen to his knees, tears streaming down his face, as all he could do was mutter to himself in agony…

“Redd, I’m…”… He wasn’t going to believe me, even if he wanted to, that much was for sure. I could be the exact polar opposite of Rosalie, and he’d still refuse to believe I wasn’t them… 

… But at the very least, I could pretend. Even if in the long run, it’d only hurt more.

“... Redd… I’ve been a bad friend…” Taking care that I wouldn’t kneel on glass, I joined him on the ground, carefully moving my hands under the coat to pull him into a hug.

“R-Rosalie…?” His entire body trembled, shaking from the pent up emotions and pain…

“You’re right Redd, I’ve been a bad friend… I shouldn’t have strung you along like that… It was cruel of me.” Though it was reluctant, his own arms settled around me in a hug. I winced, feeling his claws digging into my skin.

“T-this changes nothing… I don’t care if you apologize… Do I…? … I-I don’t! I’m going to kill you… I’m going to kill you, tear you limb from limb, make sure that nothing left’s of you… I don’t want that… But I can’t, I need to…” His claws dug in harder, from him fighting the curse… (That, or being yelled at by a certain alchemy professor…)

“I know, and I understand… But at least let me apologize, for everything I’ve done to you… While I still have the time to do so.” He took a deep breath, his entire body trembling…

“... F-fine… But only if I can still hold you like this… Just a little longer…” I nodded into his shoulder, feeling him clutch on tighter.

“It’s alright if you love me, hate me, DESPISE me… I want you to know that this isn’t your fault… I should’ve been a better friend, I should’ve cared for you more…” Even if I didn’t know him, and that he tried to kill me, I could still feel myself near tears as he began to sob… “I’ll die by your hand alone if it means you’ll forgive me, and we’ll be together forever… But before we do, how about we have one last chat by the lake, like old time’s sake?” He was quiet for a while, but eventually I felt it… A tiny nod.

“I-I want that… Just like old times…” Though reluctantly, his claws finally loosened their grip. (I’d need to clean the wounds later, but for now…) 

“Redd… I’m sorry. I won’t blame you if you don’t forgive me for this.” It took a moment, the man’s eyes stung with tears, but once those crimson eyes saw what I’d held, there was a flurry of emotions… Confusion… Anger… Betrayal…

“R-Rosalie…? When did you…”

I couldn’t bear to let him finish, ripping the stained-rose bookmark into shreds.

The last thing I remembered was pain. Searing pain on every inch of my body…

And then it went black.

\-----------

“...[ame]...... [NAME]!!!” 

“... U...ughn…” … I felt like death itself, but even if I wanted to continue sleeping, the hands shaking me were making that QUITE difficult…

So reluctantly, I opened my eyes, finding two pairs of cold grey eyes looking at me in concern, the sound of rain heavy against the windowpane… So loud… So soothing… 

“... Five more minutes…” I heard a huff, before the blanket was yanked off...

“HYAH!!!” And freezing cold hands touched my sides, effectively waking me for good. “YOU BASTARD!!!”

“YOU WERE THE ONE WHIMPERING IN THEIR SLEEP, PUP.” … Was I…? Wait…

“... ‘Sleep???’ What do you mean ‘sleep?!’” He seemed genuinely confused as I sat up on the small Infirmary bed, finding it perfectly spotless, unlike before.

“You don’t remember? A jar had fallen on you at the Tailor’s, knocked you clean out. I brought you here hours ago, but this was the first time you’d even stirred…” … I… 

THIS WAS A FUCKING DREAM?! YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!

I WENT THROUGH THAT FUCKING NIGHTMARE OF AN ORDEAL, AND IT WAS JUST A DREAM???

“... I’m so tired…” He must’ve decided whatever I was thinking about wasn’t worth questioning right now, ruffling my hair.

“Such a lazy pup… Sleeping for hours, and still not being content… Well, I guess I can be lenient, considering your day.” He rose from his seat, giving a big stretch from being seated for so long. “... Are you feeling alright, [Name]? … Or do you need Master to carry you home~”

“DON’T RUIN THE MOMENT!!! JERK!” … Despite that ridiculous arrogance, I couldn’t help but relax, laughing along to his own deep, rich laugh…

… Even if it was just a dream, I’m glad I was finally back home… To the REAL Divus Crewel...

\-----------

The man looked quite the mess, clothes dirtied and wet, yet he didn’t seem to mind, walking up to the heavy, iron gates. (He’d woken up in the nearby forest, with nothing more than a plain silver pendant, keychain, and scattered memories… Yet he knew all he needed to.)

Slinking through the gaps, crimson eyes sparkling in amazement from the giant castle before him. He KNOWS he’s seen it before yet… It truly felt like the first time seeing it… Himself. Even the rain, the mud… It took all he had to resist the urge to simply enjoy the freezing water, knowing at this rate, his clothes would be soaked for weeks to come…

Which he wouldn’t mind, truly! But first, he had something very important to do… He needed to find his dear, beloved Rosalie…

After all, they even said it themself… He could kill them, slowly… Sweetly… So he could forgive them…

So they could be together… Forever...

[The End…?]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations! You've reached the Bookmark Ending! (I'd replace your locks.)


	14. [Bonus/Scrapped Chapter]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet an unexpected face at the Greenhouse...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally Divus and Dire were supposed to share this scene before their endings, but I ended up scrapping it since I rewrote new scenes to make the story flow better and I felt bad since a certain route's 2nd part was more unique! (You can tell I didn't scrap the whole thing though, lmao.)
> 
> Anyway, this wasn't supposed to be 13 chapter it was legit supposed to be a small fic for fun around early October but I forgot I have a little habit of severely underestimating how much I love writing this game so you got a much, MUCH longer fic whoops. I hope you enjoyed it!!
> 
> Also since I couldn't say this before, thank you for reading, and I hope you have a Happy Halloween!!! *Hands you a full-sized candy bar or theatre-box candy!

The moment I entered the Infirmary, the door was slammed behind me.

“Haah… Haah…” I forced myself to lock the door before all else. Once I was sure all would be safe, I ignored the pleading of my aching body, dragging myself to the medicine cabinet.

It still hurt… 

Everything that was useless was tossed away to the ground, my hands trembling as I snatched some bandages, rags, and alcohol, before rushing to the sink. My heart sunk as I looked into the mirror, still seeing small streams of blood trickling from where the fangs pierced the skin…

“...” I simply turned on the faucet, knowing I didn’t have time for this. I needed to clean and dress the wound, then figure out how to solve this. Even if the infirmary was safe for now… It was best not to linger for long. 

The feel of the damp rag against the wound stung, but nothing compared to the earlier pain… Not even the alcohol could’ve compared to it, (which I was quite thankful for.) Finally, the wound had begun to stop bleeding, so after carefully drying the area, I gently applied the bandage, making sure it wasn’t suffocating, but snug…

“... Okay… That’s fixed, now what…” Glancing at my bag, I saw the book, peaking out perfectly as if it were waiting for me… “... There has to be something… Anything I could use…”

Making sure no one was coming close, I grabbed the book, taking a seat on a nearby chair before flipping through the pages… And then I found it.

‘Chapter 7: The Antidote’

I didn’t bother reading the meat of the paragraphs, skipping ahead until I found the recipe itself, boldly outlined. This was it… These were all things in the greenhouse! All I needed to do was sneak inside, and gather all the supplies! … Now I could only hope nothing would catch me on the way…

Making sure the book was safely tucked away in the bag, I carefully made my way out of the Infirmary, carefully avoiding halls that were littered with noise…

\-----------

… I’d arrived at the greenhouse, yet I didn’t feel safe… Not a single soul was to be seen.

I glanced down the next path, thick with plants, and upon seeing no one around, quickly rushed through. I’d already found most of the ingredients, and just needed a few more…

“Oomf!” I’d crashed into something, though backing away, I found it to be someone else…

“Hm? Mx. [Last Name], what brings you here at such an hour?” … Malleus Draconia… Of course I backed away in fear, he was easily one of the best students at the academy, and I had no magic! If he wanted to kill me, he could do it within a snap of his fingers!

“S-stay back… Even if you’re a student, I can’t trust you… Not after everything that’s happened!” … He just stood there… Menacingly…… Con… fusingly…?

“... Mx. [Last Name]... Are you well? What happened to your neck, if I may inquire?” … You’ve got to be kidding me.

“What do you mean ‘am I well?!’ How could I possibly be well! The entire school’s been cursed, I’ve been attacked, and if I don’t make a cure by sunrise, then everyone’s a goner!” It was silent between the two of us for a moment.

“...The entire school’s been cursed…? But I’ve had no such thing occur to me…” … Oh my god. Did he somehow get skipped over?!

“... Y-you’re still normal… Oh my god, Draconia, you’re still normal, that’s-”

“INSULTING!!!” I jumped from his shout. “How DARE this curse exclude me from the events of tonight! Am I no good for such a thing?!”

… No… No no… Please don’t tell me he was actually upset about being left out by a CURSE…

“D-Draconia… Please, it’s not that important, if anything it’s a g-”

“FINE! If I’m no good for it, then I’ll simply stay out of it! I’ll even brew my OWN curse upon whoever cast such a putrid thing…” … I should probably stay quiet… Though, it was a little painful, watching the one person I could’ve relied on stomping away in quiet fury…

… Was… Was the greenhouse empty because everyone was avoiding him…? I mean… I figure no one else would wanna break the news to him…

… I’m just going to get the herbs and go, my neck’s starting to hurt again.

\----------- (Remove if extension is made)

I’d returned back to the Infirmary, making sure the door was locked once more before tossing everything on the counter. While the Alchemy Lab would be more convenient, I couldn’t guarantee it was safe… I flipped back to the recipe, quickly reading the instructions.

“Alright… I just have to brew it like it’s tea… Easy enough.” Thank goodness there was a small kettle in the room… There wasn’t much I could do, aside from preparing the ingredients as the water slowly boiled, picking out a clean jar to pour it in… It was… Not a pleasant smell, to say the least, once I poured the water into the jar with herbs…

That didn’t matter though. What mattered is I was so close to saving everyone… All I needed to do was figure out how to use this…

My neck throbbed in pain, a sharp, horrible pain that almost made me drop the bottle.

… Would I be able to make it by then?


End file.
